This project was imagineered by vineyard inspiration. We feel it’s essential to highlight the growers who are not only stewards of their land, but continue to tell stories that began so long ago at the start of California’s winemaking history.
Grist Vineyard
Located just west of Healdsburg in northern Sonoma County, Grist sits on top of Bradford Mountain, the tallest of the hills making up the coastal range bordering Dry Creek Valley. 15 miles east of the Pacific Ocean and in between is nothing but forested hills where countless mountain lions, wild pigs and deer roam. Named for the old grist mill on the property, it was planted to Zinfandel about 100 years ago. The vineyard was replanted beginning in 1973 and has been farmed organically since 2003 and is a Certified Organic vineyard by the CCOF. Along with Zinfandel, Grist Vineyard boasts Syrah, Petite Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc. The head pruned vines sit in iron-rich, red volcanic soils that stess the vines into low yields and concentrated wines.
Grist Vineyard is also home to one of our dearest friends Woody (grandson of the estate owner), his daughter Sophie and his giant Bernese Mountain floof Rocco. We’ve spent many a night around the dinner table at Grist fantasizing about making wines from this outstanding site.
Champi Vineyard
The new kid in school! We’re so excited to present Champi Vineyard hidden away at the north end of Redwood Valley in Mendocino, CA. We love Chardonnay, and have been hunting for the right site to call home for Little Trouble.
Redwood Valley is an upland valley where the climate is cooler than surrounding appellations due to a gap in the coastal ridge which allows cool Pacific air currents to penetrate. These conditions lead to a gradual ripening of fruit that makes Redwood Valley Chardonnay refined and complex. The notable iron-rich Redvine and Manzanita soils of the area also provides character to the wines. While there are traces of this soil in surrounding areas, nowhere does it dominate to the extent it does in Redwood Valley. The earliest vineyards in Mendocino County were planted here among the ancient redwoods by Italian immigrants.
The vineyard is owned and farmed but Mitch Champi, whose family planted the site back in the 1970s. Mitch grafted over to Chardonnay in the late 80s where he has continued to farm organically (not certified) with minimum intervention.
Stampede Vineyard
Currently owned by the Perlegos family, it was love at first site for the Stampede Vineyard in Lodi next door to the Clements Buckaroos rodeo grounds. Upon purchasing this historical site, The Perlegoses employed certain viticultural practices and learned that the vineyard, originally planted in the 1920s by J.J. Zechmeister & C.H. Suess, didn’t need much water, but rather, just some tender loving care to whip itself into shape.
“It’s a pretty high-structured site,” says owner Jeff Perlegos. “We get a lot of acid and a lot of fine-grained tannin. And we do get that fruit (flavor and aroma) from the Lodi area.”
Stampede consists of ownrooted vines driven predominantly by Zinfandel with Mission, Mourvedre, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah and Tokay mixed in. Now, the site is considered a gem in the Lodi AVA (or the Clements Hills sub appellation), and its fruit has gone to respected wineries, such as Fields Family Wines, Maître de Chai, Bedrock and The Scholium Project.
Alder Springs Vineyard
150 miles north of San Francisco and 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the extreme location and steep terrain of Alder Springs allows owner and farmer Stu Bewley to choose the most beneficial growing conditions for several different varieties. This undeveloped region is bordered by dramatic coastlines and the breathtaking Eel River is home to enormous Redwood trees, and a large population of wildlife. The purpose of the almost 6,000 acres of timber at Alder Springs is not lumber, but carbon sequestration, in which the trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, 65,000 tons a year by Stu’s estimates. We source our fruit from two experimental nursery blocks, which allows us to work with a wide array of varieties. Stu, Will, Natalie and the entire Alder Springs team are an absolute joy to work with.
Rorick Heritage Vineyard
Located in Calaveras County, just outside of the town of Murphys in the Sierra Foothills, the site was first ranched by the Shaw family in 1844. The property was purchased by Barden Stevenot in the 1960s; he became the godfather of the modern Calaveras County winegrowers when he planted own-rooted Wente Chardonnay from 1974-76. We are grateful that several acres of these original heritage plantings still remain - they are a direct link to the first person who recognized the potential of this site's soil and climate for winegrape cultivation.
Barden eventually expanded the vineyard to its current 75 acres in 2000; Matthew Rorick purchased the property in 2013 and converted the farming to organic practices. At an elevation of 2000′, it is situated on limestone soils beneath a top layer of schist. The alpine growing season combined with limestone soils leave an indelible mark on the wines grown at RHV: beautiful aromatics, textural presence, and bright natural acidity are all hallmarks of the site.
Photography by Emma K. Morris